Master Gardeners do love digging in the soil. But you may not realize the scope of their involvement in the community. Minnesota Master Gardeners assist University of Minnesota faculty with research projects and varietal trials, advice city officials on how to create community gardens, partner with schools to teach students about composting, empower people to grow their own food, work with foresters to help limit the spread of emerald ash borer, teach homeowners sustainable ways to manage yard waste, improve the state's water quality with shoreline plantings and rain gardens, and much more.

Master Gardeners are paraprofessionals that are vital to Extension's goal of getting research-based information to Minnesotans. If you'd like to give back to your community through projects like these, contact the Fillmore County Extension Office 507-765-3896, the Houston County Extension Office 507-725-5807, or the Master Gardener state program office at http://www1.extension.umn.edu/master-gardener/ for application information and class times.

And don't worry - you'll probably get to pull some weeds, too.

The steps to becoming a Master Gardener:

1. Be accepted by your local program-Contact the County Extension Office and request an application packet. You'll need to complete the application, have an interview, and pass a background check.

The 2012 Master Gardener Core Course will be offered at the U of M St. Paul Campus, January 14- February 9, Saturdays 9 am to 4 pm, Tues/Thurs evenings 5:30 to 8:30. Or Online (new topic weekly) January 9 -May 4. Cost for 2012 Core Course will be $275.

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